The Reformer

Citizens’ Assemblies are put together like a jury, so we all have an equal chance of joining

What is a Citizens’ Assembly?

Citizens’ Assemblies are often in the news, from the assemblies that led to the referendums on equal marriage and abortion...

Voters in 1945, Holborn

How long have we used First Past the Post? You might be surprised

We’re right to be proud of the long history of parliamentary democracy in Britain. But the way we elect MPs...

Which countries in Europe use PR_

Which European countries use proportional representation?

Of the 43 countries most often considered to be within Europe, 40 use some form of proportional representation to elect...

Proportionality and fairness makes this an improvement on Westminster

How does proportional representation work in Germany?

[Note: Germany updated their voting system for the 2025 election, and introduced new rules. You can find out about that...

Dublin Count Centre

Does Ireland use proportional representation?

Ireland has a long history of using proportional representation and, specifically, the Single Transferable Vote (STV). STV is the Electoral...

Driving Licence Voter ID

How does mandatory voter ID disenfranchise the public?

The government is set to face a legal challenge to its plans to ban people without ID from voting across...

Bishops in the Lords

Why are there Bishops in the House of Lords?

When most people think of Bishops they imagine a man or woman saying prayers in a cathedral, not making the...

America polling station

How the Democrats could win the popular vote but not control of the House

Brenda from Bristol famously cried “not another one!” at the news that we were to hold an election in 2017,...

Voters in 1945, Holborn

In 1951 more people voted Labour than Conservative, yet the Conservatives formed the government

The General Election on this day in 1951 couldn’t have been more decisive. Six years since Labour’s victory in 1945,...

votes up and seats down

How can a party lose support but gain seats? The upside-down world of Westminster’s voting system

What would you expect to happen if a party gained support in a fresh election? Most people would expect them...

May 3rd 2018

Seven things you need to know about the local elections

Blink and you’ll miss the coverage, but local elections are happening on Thursday 3 May in England.  A lot has changed...

Polling Station

Why Voter ID is a solution seeking a problem

The government will be trialling making ID mandatory at polling stations this May. Voters in Bromley, Woking and Gosport will...